Pyongyang ’s eagerness to conduct a nuclear test so quickly after its long-range missile launch shows it has abandoned its previous façade of negotiations and is instead striving to achieve a viable nuclear weapon and ICBM delivery capability. North Korea ’s unflinching efforts to develop the means to threaten the US and its allies with nuclear weapons underscores the ongoing need to continue to develop and deploy a missile defense system. The rapid pace of Pyongyang ’s provocations since January indicates it has altered its objectives and is no longer …
The U.S. announced today it has removed North Korea from the state sponsors of terrorism list in return for Pyongyang’s acceptance of a Six Party Talks verification protocol. As always with North Korea, the devil will be in the details of the agreement and, more importantly, Pyongyang’s willingness to abide by its commitment. While there is increased hope for a satisfactory diplomatic resolution of the North Korean nuclear problem, a final judgment must be withheld until a clearer picture emerges. Preliminary indications of the outline appear generally positive and a …
